Christmas is a joyous occasion where each year we spend billions of dollars on stuff that nobody wants so that we can fulfill an obligation to reciprocate for others doing the same for us. Christmas in modern times is almost universally beloved by those who celebrate it, particularly kids, who have no money and thus stand to exclusively benefit from this arrangement outside of the obligatory macaroni art. But this wasn’t always the case, as for some cultures, Christmas brought not only the promise of gifts but also trepidation that they might instead get coal, or even worse, a visit from something much less merry.

On A Christmas Night, from writer/director Josh Quillin is a short film about just such a visit. It’s Christmas night and our naughty list VIP (Jessica Crandall) is killing off her last bottle of holiday cheer when she hears a knock on the door and opens it to find a leather chest at her feet. She decides to pick up what is almost certainly a bomb and brings it inside to find a large chunk of coal, setting off a chain of events that guarantees this will be her worst Christmas ever.

Christmas horror is a favorite of mine because we get to see how the artist molds these comforting and familiar themes into something terrifying. On A Christmas Night isn’t overflowing with Christmas themes, no evil reindeer or gingerbread men here, but the festive lighting contributes to an overall strong sense of style and actively increases our sense of dread by showing just enough. The idea of unseen danger is at the forefront here and the film does a great job of communicating its characters vulnerability through the editing. Even when her unwelcome guest is out of sight, its impact is felt through a score that isn’t shy about using the occasional sting to get our attention.

On A Christmas Night is more of a short that happens to be on Christmas than one where the holiday is fundamental to the story. The art of the scare is the main attraction here and that makes for an experience that can be enjoyed throughout the year.